The Hide (chat thread)

Half-cocked

swifts need our help! wrote: »

Aren't starlings red listed?

Can be shot under license where they are a nuisance. A pity though.

littlebug

My new favourite place to walk. Mount Gable, Clonbur. I've never seen so many butterflies in one place! Plenty of small moths too and lots of signs of pine marten. Pic below from the lower part of the walk. Bottom pic of Heath Spotted Orchid I think. Pic not great... taken on phone in strong sunlight so I couldn't see what I was focused on.
I'll go back someday without the youngest child so I can walk further and I'll remember to bring the proper camera!

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Sierra Oscar

My workmate was telling me that due to the dire weather we should be doing some little bit to feed birds at the moment - is this true, should I get my bird stand which is usually reserved for winter setup again?

WildIreland

whyulittle wrote: »

Added my first Pine Marten, Badger and possibly Reed Warbler to my list this morning.

Lucky you... pine marten up there on my "most wanted Irish mammal" list. Had a sighting from Beara posted to the Ireland's Wildlife facebook page recently... so they are around in West Cork... perhaps I won't have to travel too far. :-)

Knowing they're there and seeing them though... two different things!

WildIreland

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

My workmate was telling me that due to the dire weather we should be doing some little bit to feed birds at the moment - is this true, should I get my bird stand which is usually reserved for winter setup again?

The "official" advice has shifted a fair bit over the years, but the general consensus now is that you should continue to feed right through the year. It reduces the effort adult birds have to expend finding food for themselves, which means they're better able to find more protein rich insects for their young.

So feeding throughout the year, the theory now goes, improves breeding success and is a good idea generally -- perhaps more so given the rubbish weather we've been enjoying this summer.

WildIreland

Traonach wrote: »

Huge decrease in Corncrake numbers across the country this year:(

They're having a desperate time -- flooding the main problem for ground nesting birds with all this wet weather. Here's the latest Birdwatch Ireland blog update on the state of play in the Shannon Callows.

Not good!

WildIreland

swifts need our help! wrote: »

Aren't starlings red listed?

Irish starling population is considered stable in Ireland, but across its European range it is Amber Listed as being of moderate conservation concern due to declining populations in some countries.

It is consistently one of the top 20 birds recorded in Irish gardens during Birdwatch Ireland's annual winter garden bird survey, and is one of the most widespread and common species in Ireland.

That said, all wild birds are protected under Irish law (with certain exemptions for game species during the open season), there are also exemptions where species are causing damage or where they constitute a threat to public health or to air safety....

This from the National Parks and Wildlife Service site:

EU Birds Directive - Article 9 Derogations
Ministerial Declarations for the Period May 2012 to April 2013
Under the terms of the EU Birds Directive, all EU member States, including Ireland, are bound to take measures to protect all wild birds and their habitats. The Directive allows member States to make derogations from its protective measures where certain wild bird species are causing damage to crops, livestock and fauna or represent a threat to public health or to air safety.

Not sure shooting is going to prove that effective though. Would have thought having trained hawks / falcons patrolling on a regular basis would be a far more effective way of keeping small birds away from the runways / approaches.

whyulittle

WildIreland wrote: »

Lucky you... pine marten up there on my "most wanted Irish mammal" list. Had a sighting from Beara posted to the Ireland's Wildlife facebook page recently... so they are around in West Cork... perhaps I won't have to travel too far. :-)

Knowing they're there and seeing them though... two different things!

Saw a Stoat this morning, bounding into the grassy central median of the M4!

whyulittle

You'd think they would have asked themselves 'why are they called short-eared owls if they have such long ears' when putting in that photo.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0717/breaking36.html#.UAWdJZqXrWQ.twitter

WildIreland

whyulittle wrote: »

You'd think they would have asked themselves 'why are they called short-eared owls if they have such long ears' when putting in that photo.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0717/breaking36.html#.UAWdJZqXrWQ.twitter

Lovely photo of a long-eared owl. In fairness Getty images have that shot labelled as an SEO on their site -- so looks like the photographer's mistake originally -- shame the paper didn't check though.

WildIreland

whyulittle wrote: »

Saw a Stoat this morning, bounding into the grassy central median of the M4!

Stoats are my favourite Irish mammal -- class animals!

whyulittle

Finished Angry Birds this evening - how did it take me so long to discover the joys of this game!

Downloading next one as I type.....

Half-cocked

Standing quietly out in the garden listening to hedgehogs snuffling around when I felt something on my foot. Switched the torch on to find the resident boar climbing aboard my boot. New boots with a strong leather smell must have got him excited, I've seen dogs try to mount peoples legs but this is a new one!:D

Mothman

You have a boar in your garden????

Half-cocked

Mothman wrote: »

You have a boar in your garden????

:D:D:D

I'm told it's the correct name for a male hedgehog, if it was a wild boar it would be in my freezer by now!!!!

whyulittle

God I read that post so wrong. Had images of a pig climbing onto your boat......

trebor28

Half-cocked wrote: »

Standing quietly out in the garden listening to hedgehogs snuffling around when I felt something on my foot. Switched the torch on to find the resident boar climbing aboard my boot. New boots with a strong leather smell must have got him excited, I've seen dogs try to mount peoples legs but this is a new one!:D

Down with that sort of thing!!

V Bull

A first for my garden...going with Willow Warblers on these guys rather than Chiffchaff's because of the distinct eyestripe and other body colouring, legs are also lighter than that of the Chiffchaff... there were 4 of them bathing in my pond and mixing with Long-tailed & Blue Tits...

MeteoritesEire

wish I'd had my camera with me this morning as I was standing outside. saw a small flock of birds approaching just off to my left and thought they looked like something unusual just with their size and flight.Turned out to be 6 snipes,unmistakeable with those bills, flew past me about 30 feet away ,saw them land on the hill too far away to even attempt a picture ,plus my previous experience with them ,proves them to be quite skittish.

I assume it was 6 juveniles, anyone seen that many before in one flock? I only ever saw singles before

littlebug

here's an interesting looking rock I came across. Holes made by mussels maybe ? or just water erosion? or erosion of parts made softer by mussels? All guesswork If anyone knows enlighten me!

Mothman

littlebug wrote: »

here's an interesting looking rock I came across. Holes made by mussels maybe ? or just water erosion? or erosion of parts made softer by mussels? All guesswork If anyone knows enlighten me!

No idea, but did you do your bit by removing the plastic bottle?

Although if I went and did the same thing here at coast I'd need a number of bin bags

littlebug

Mothman wrote: »

No idea, but did you do your bit by removing the plastic bottle?

Although if I went and did the same thing here at coast I'd need a number of bin bags

...should have removed it before taking the photo :pac: Shores are reasonably junk free there thankfully.. so I spend my time focusing on little bits of bones and creatures that have washed up, trying to figure out what they once were

Bsal

I found alot of drowned Caterpillars this morning in my garden, poor things anyone know the type?

Mothman

Bsal wrote: »

I found alot of drowned Caterpillars this morning in my garden, poor things anyone know the type?

A low confidence suggestion of Cabbage Moth, a dark form
http://www.ukleps.org/Noctuids/2154s.jpg
http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=4433

Could do with length and a close up of upper side and of head.

Bsal

A low confidence suggestion of Cabbage Moth, a dark form
http://www.ukleps.org/Noctuids/2154s.jpg
http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=4433

Could do with length and a close up of upper side and of head.

Unfortunetly the Starlings in my garden had them for super so I cant get any more pictures. I bet your right though on Cabbage Moth.

Mothman

Bsal wrote: »

Unfortunetly the Starlings in my garden had them for super so I cant get any more pictures. I bet your right though on Cabbage Moth.

I knew they wouldn't go to waste

Bsal

I spotted a Fox again today at Dublin airport, the second time in the last 2-3 weeks

bogtreader

Could be keeping the hare's in check.
We nearly hit a hare on wednesday evening ran out in front of the car

whyulittle

Opened the front door to make sure my car windows were closed, and there was a large hedgehog sitting on the door step. The cat came when she heard the door open, leapt over it into the house and looked back out at it from inside.

Gave it a few extra cat biscuits and let it be.

No leather or boats involved here.

Bsal

I was just checking out the sightings on irishbirding website and noticed alot of Brent Goose reports. They seem to be on there way here very early this year. The weather in there breeding grounds must be confusing them. Either its alot warmer or colder than normal up there.

whyulittle

I went for a walk around Boora after sunset this evening, and nearly had my head taken off me! I think it was a Sparrowhawk, lined up my head and was coming straight towards it before bailing out about a foot away from it!

trebor28

whyulittle wrote: »

I went for a walk around Boora after sunset this evening, and nearly had my head taken off me! I think it was a Sparrowhawk, lined up my head and was coming straight towards it before bailing out about a foot away from it!

do you coo and walk like a pigeon??:p:p

whyulittle

Don't know what was going on, but it was weird. Was walking along, looking around me and saw the bird on my left. It circled a small bit and then literally made a dash for my head.

KJ

Bsal wrote: »

I spotted a Fox again today at Dublin airport, the second time in the last 2-3 weeks

Twice in the last two weeks, I have seen a fox down near the O2 at the docks.

Half-cocked

3 Hedgehogs in my garden last night, 2 juveniles and a big adult acting like one happy family. They must be getting close to hibernating. The juveniles seemed healthy and well fed.

Half-cocked

Yesterday evening I discovered the 2 juvenile hedgehogs fast asleep in a hedgehog house I built a few years ago and had given up on. They have dragged an enormous amount of bedding into it so possibly will hibernate there.

tororosso

Half-cocked wrote: »

Yesterday evening I discovered the 2 juvenile hedgehogs fast asleep in a hedgehog house I built a few years ago and had given up on. They have dragged an enormous amount of bedding into it so possibly will hibernate there.

Any photos of the house?!

Half-cocked

tororosso wrote: »

Any photos of the house?!

I used to have a little IR camera set up inside but it packed in a while back. I'll take a shot of the exterior when I get a chance.

Half-cocked

Here's a pic of the box, I have a small IR camera set up covering the entrance, so hopefully I can get some video of the hogs coming and going.

Half-cocked

Caught the hedgehogs emerging this evening. The first one bolted straight out before I could start recording, the 2nd one stayed for a while. Terrible quality video stills, but thats what you get with a €20 IR camera!

whyulittle

Do we get Coal Tits without any black on its bib? Be they juveniles or foreign birds? I was watching one earlier trying to figure out what looked different about it and I think it was totally white below the bill.

Half-cocked

That sounds odd - all varients of Coal Tit have a black bib. It's much smaller on a Marsh Tit or Willow Tit, but they would be very rare here.

Mickeroo

Love the hedgehog-house Halfcocked. Was it your own design? How do you stop rodents or other opportunists from getting in?

whyulittle

Half-cocked wrote: »

That sounds odd - all varients of Coal Tit have a black bib. It's much smaller on a Marsh Tit or Willow Tit, but they would be very rare here.

Yeah, I can't swear to it though. Even though I got a good look at it, I was just trying to take in what was different about it. I'll keep an eye out and see if it returns.

Oh yeah, and I think I had some Curlew/Golden Plover type bird fly over the back garden. Unfortunately they hooked right behind some trees as I tried to get a better luck. It's a residential area but less than a kilometre to the Shannon as the -Curlew- flies.

Half-cocked

Mickeroo wrote: »

Love the hedgehog-house Halfcocked. Was it your own design? How do you stop rodents or other opportunists from getting in?

DIY job, got some measurements off the interweb. I haven't any way of stopping unwelcome guests. So far no problems.

whyulittle

I have a Butterfly in the house at the minute. Does it want to be inside or outside at this time of year?

Mothman

whyulittle wrote: »

I have a Butterfly in the house at the minute. Does it want to be inside or outside at this time of year?

I'm assuming a Small Tortoiseshell
Inside, but a cold (unheated) inside.
Do you have any sort of shed or can you get it to a shed.

Keep it in fridge overnight if you can't move it tonight, but the less it does, the more reserves it keeps to help carry it through till Spring.

whyulittle

Great, thanks. Have put it out into the shed.

Half-cocked

Hedgehogs still not hibernating:

Bsal

I was out at Dublin airport this afternoon and the airport fire service are now using a real life Peregrine for bird scaring. Seems to be working not many birds around